Whine & Cheese

Thoughts About "King"

Ok, time for the review of the stage musical The Lion King.  On Friday, I wrote of being somewhat concerned about my reaction given the hype the show has received.  We have waited about 5 years for this show to finally hit town, so that is a lot of expectation to bear.  So how did it do? 

As I have mentioned in the past, I have seen my fair share of musicals.  I did a count at one point, so I think I am probably now somewhere around 50 different musical mark in my lifetime... and, given repeats, many more performances than that.  While I have not done an "official ranking," I am guessing The Lion King lands somewhere in the #4 thru #7 slots.  Pretty darn good, huh?   Did I expect it to land in the Top 3?   Probably.

So where did it fall short?  I don't think it is the strongest musical out there -- I am not a total theater geek (believe it or not!), but perhaps it is the "book" that I am talking about.  We all know the famous songs from the show, but at times it seemed that I was just waiting for the next "hit" to come along.  There were some new pieces added for the stage, but I can't tell you what they were -- and they did not stand out.   I found the show sluggish in spots -- a common criticism I have with most musicals, they always seem a tad too long.

The show also seemed to lack stand-out performances.  We had some substitutions at our performance, most notably Simba.   Normally, I rarely take notice of understudies -- but since this was a pretty prominent part, it stuck in my head.   Again, I am not sure if it was the actor or the material -- but I can't really think of being knocked out by any of the vocals from the show.  This show demands a lot of its cast, but soaring and memorable vocals are not one of those things.

Also, dare I say the show lacked a little emotion.  I read of grown men sniffling in the audience at performances, so given my somewhat sensitive nature - I was worried about keeping my own emotions in check.  But I did not have any tangible reaction to the father-son bonding stuff or when Mufasa died.  I do admit to a little lump in the throat at the opening and closing scenes - but the "Circle of Life" stuff always gets to me!

So, now you are probably wondering how the show ever even landed in my Top10?!?  Well, without a doubt, The Lion King was probably the most visually stunning piece of theater I have ever seen.  Julie Taymor, LK's creative force, is pure genius.  The costumes, puppets, masks were simply breathtaking.  When the giraffes walked out on the stage, there was an audible - and well-deserved - gasp from the crowd.  It was simply mind-boggling at times the things this show pulled off -- and pull off eight times a week.  And kudos to the supporting cast, who are asked to take on several (dozens of?) physically challenging roles each performance - from animals to dancers to plant life.   As with most "big" musicals, the stage also seems in constant movement - with props and pieces whirling around the stage or magically and seemingly appearing from out of nowhere. 

So while it is impossible to separate the "technical" vs. "artistic" scores in The Lion King (since they are so tied up in each other), I guess what I am ultimately saying is that the execution exceeds the piece.  The stage incarnation of this beloved animated feature could have been disastrous under lesser hands - but thanks to Taymor and the other creative forces - they lift what could have been the ordinary into extraordinary territory.

Aussie Open Recap

Well, I promised I would be back in a couple of weeks to review my Australian Open predictions.  Despite picking neither of the winners, I do not think I did all that bad.  Here are my predictions with corrections.

Men
Semis: Federer vs. Safin, Hewitt vs. Roddick
Federer Safin defeats Hewitt

Women
Semis: Davenport vs. Dementieva Dechy, Sharapova vs. Serena Williams
Sharapova Williams defeats Davenport

So I got all four men's semifinalists corrected... granted they were the Top 4 seeds in the tournament, but it is quite rare that that ever happens these days with the depth of the men's field.  There was talk of Roger Federer winning the Grand Slam this season (all four Slams in one year), so Russian Marat Safin pulled quite the upset.  The Federer-Safin semi went the distance 9-7 in the 5th set... so it was a close one.

On the women's side, 3 out of 4 right... with the French player Nathalie Dechy being a huge surprise, having never advanced that far in a major... and at age 25 (pretty darn old in tennis years) that was quite the accomplishment.  Again, I messed up one semi with Serena Williams downing the up-and-coming Russian Sharapova.  Again, that match went the distance, 8-6 in the final set... with Sharapova having 3 match points.

Given these results it should be an interesting year of tennis.  Safin is talented, but didn't seem to the have the head to win - so perhaps this Slam will turn things around.  Likewise, many felt that the best days for Serena Williams (along with sister Venus) were over - so this again puts Serena back into the mix after a year of injury and other off-court crises.

"Lion" in Wait

The wait is finally over - we are seeing The Lion King tonight!   It has been a long time coming, as season ticket subscribers we have sat through a lot of not-so great shows.  Come ticket renewal time, we were continually frustrated that LK was never on its way.  It usually does not take this long for a show to hit our town (the show debuted on Broadway in 1997!) - we have seen many other more recent Broadway hits like The Producers, Mamma Mia, and Hairspray already - but I guess it took some time to make this show "moveable" - even though it is in town for a lengthy 8-week run.

I am just hoping I do not end up being disappointed.  When anything receives major hype, that usually ends up being the case.  Theater-wise, this situation is pretty similar to when I was waiting for Phantom of the Opera to finally hit town.  I never had a chance to see it on Broadway (it was still a very difficult ticket to get prior to my move to AZ) - and like LK, it took a long time for the show to hit the road.  When I finally saw it, I wondered what all the fuss was about -- it was good, but just didn't knock my socks off.

I don't really expect that to happen this time around.  Any scenes that I have seen from the show usually give me goosebumps -- and that is certainly not a typical reaction.  So I can only imagine what it will be like to see it live -- I don't think the television screen can do it justice... and that is the great thing about live theater.

Stay tuned for a review...

Reporting For Duty?

Just saw this on my way home from the gym (yes, the gym.... I hear your snicker of disbelief!) and had to share... the van advertised the driver's business...

It was for a "Dog Waste Removal" service... if that euphemism wasn't good enough, there was their slogan:

Your #2 Is Our #1

And The Verdict Is...

Good news... I was excused from jury duty, or as I think the recorded message said "released" (hmm... that makes me sound like I did something bad!).  I guess things are not so bad here in the Phoenix metro area... the courthouse did not need any jurors today.  So I dodged that bullet, but I am sure I will have my day in court at some point.

But karma evened the score a bit.  Last night, we lost our broadband internet connection.  It happens from time to time, so I was not overly concerned.  But when things were not back on line this morning, I got a bit worried.  You definitely do not realize how much you rely on some things until they are gone...and an Internet connection is right up there with a clean water supply for us (thankfully we were not affected by the city of Phoenix recent "boil alert" water problems).

To make a long story a tad shorter... there was a lot of turning on/off, restarting computers, phone calls to the cable company, and more turning on/off... eventually revealed that are wireless router somehow got fried.  Went off to CompUSA this morning, plugged it in... did some more turning on/off and we are back on line.   Whew!  Despite being a fairly high-tech household... troubleshooting is definitely not one of my favorite things!

So since I did not have jury duty today, here are some quick TV verdicts:

The West Wing - Always have been a big fan of this show, even in the post-Sorkin era when it was popular to bash it.  But I don't know about last night's episode.  It was just very strangely shot (weird camera work, colored filters) -- and I am not sure I am liking the staff getting all split up -- and whole episodes that well, don't take place in the West Wing.  Leaning toward agreeing with a recent TV Guide piece, that perhaps it is best if the show just focused on the Bartlet administration and called it a day when his administration ends.  Verdict: edging towards house arrest.

American Idol - Still enjoying this on its fourth go-round though admit to getting a bit of audition fatigue already -- and there are a lot more of these episodes still ahead.  I know the focus is primarily on the "bad" and "ugly" ... but I wish we could see a couple of more folks "going to Hollywood" rather than seeing the majority of them flashed quickly at episode's end.   Verdict: guilty of being a guilty pleasure.

24 - Really enjoying this season.  I was starting to think this show had run its cycle, but it seems to have nicely re-invented itself this season.  The shoot-out at the terrorist site was something -- very much like a big screen movie -- and that was only the first 10 minutes of the episode.  I thought for sure young Behrooz was a goner, but in typical 24 fashion -- when you think someone is going to get killed they don't and vice versa.   Interesting fact I did not know, we all remember Shohreh Aghadashloo (Dina Araz) from the movie House of Sand and Fog -- but I did not realize that Jonathan Ahdout (Behrooz) also played her son in the movie.  Is there a shortage of Arab American actors?   Verdict: Free to go.

Caesars 24/7 - A&E's attempt to get into the "behind the scenes" of a casino is awful, awful, awful.  I thought Fox's The Casino was bad, but I think this even surpasses it -- even if it just that you expect something better from A&E.  While I am well aware that "reality" often means anything but - this show is set-up city.  For example, we meet a woman hoping to cut loose after breaking up with her boyfriend.  Fortunately for the show, the woman we just happen to "meet" manages to get into a big 'ole catfight (hair pulling, drink throwing!) with another woman over a guy.  How convenient!  The Discovery Channel's American Casino is still the class of the field in this genre, though that is not saying all that much.  Verdict: maybe a couple of life sentences?

Katie Couric - Still trying to get over the fact that Katie used the term "man ho" to describe a sexually promiscuous man on last night's Teen Sex special (we just happened to flip the channel when she uttered that phrase).  Verdict: released with a warning.

TAR6: Let's Get Ready to Crrruuumble!

Random thoughts about last night's TAR6 episode "It Always Comes Down To The Details" -- with "you know who" gone, this leg seemed much more quiet...

Sri Lanka
Yet another facet of the tsunami tragedy -- definitely had a whole mix of feelings watching as the teams raced to this now devasted island nation.  While there were certainly "poverty issues" (how much Racer "chat" had to be re-edited on this episode?), Sri Lanka came across as a beautiful and vibrant place.  Could not help but wonder if that palm tree grove near the ocean is still standing or how many Sri Lankans we saw on last night's episode survived.   Let's hope that this country can fully recover and once again be a Pit Stop for a silly 'ole race around the world.

Detour
Interesting decisions made on the detour.  Hayden speaks of her fear of heights but yet chooses the Detour that requires climbing a 50-ft palm tree and walking across a rope high-wire.  Kudos for getting eventually through it and facing her fears... but perhaps she just had a bigger fear of pachyderms -- did Freddy pull that word out of his ass or what?  You just never know what to expect from the Racers, one day a team doesn't know what a "stein" of beer is and the next day they are shouting zoological terminology!

Next To Go?
I think it is relatively safe to say that the next team to go will be Adam & Rebecca.  It was yet another uninspiring leg for them -- only saved by "hours of operation" bunching and a worse screw-up from another team.  Props to Rebecca for calling Hellboy out on the carpet for wanting to quit the Race.  While I think Freddy calling him a "nancy boy" was a bit harsh given the circumstances (ooo boy, he just blew right by him!), the shoe seems to fit Adam more times than it does not.

New Rules!
In honor of Bill Maher (Real Time returns on HBO Feb 18th...hurray!), new rule:  if you are going to go on TAR:   READ. THE. CLUE.  For a second straight week, a team was Philiminated not doing so.  While I don't think it mattered with J&V, it was the prime reason for Lori & Bolo's demise last night.  I know everyone is in a rush and "this is a race" (the most repeated TAR line ever), but why jeopardize everything?  And the wrestler's miscue, definitely screwed up what would have been one of the most exciting finishes in TAR history as 3 of 5 teams hit the pitstop swimming pool at the same time.

Rob & Amber
Lastly just a note on TAR7... looks like CBS should have done some focus groups about teams that they would like to see in future editions.  The inclusion of Survivor's Rob & Amber does not seem to be a popular choice.  A few folks have commented negatively here, while the Entertainment Weekly's Lynette Rice was also blistering on the subject in today's show recap.  I admit to being somewhere between "indifferent" and "not minding so much" on the subject.  I don't mind a "celebrity" (or should I say re-warmed reality personality) team on the Race, but it is a bit hard to root for a couple (and an overexposed one at that) that already has a million pre-tax dollars in the bank.

Hung Jury

A few weeks ago I got that piece of mail we all love -- the jury duty summons.  I know I should feel all warm and fuzzy about performing my civic duty, but more looking forward to my dentist appointment next week.  There is a chance for a reprieve, I have to call Wednesday night to see whether or not my group will be officially called in on Thursday.  I am interpreting my group as #5 -- so I don't know whether that is a good number of not... seems kind of low - but I have no idea how many people are in each group and what is the typical amount of jurors needed on a typical day in court.

We did a dry run to the courthouse this weekend... just so I could see exactly where it was, the parking situation, etc.  It was a good thing we did... it was on one of those streets where the street name changes depending on what town you are in.  So I went waaaaay past the street on the way out there.

So I guess I am set if I have to go... thankfully work is not crazy, so if I have to go I don't think it will be too stressful being away from the office.  I know I should view it as a day off, but it just does not seem to be a terribly pleasant way to spend the day.  So I guess that tells you I have never done it before.   I got excused a couple of times here in AZ when I was a student and have just lucked out ever since, but I figure they tracked me down this time either through voter registration or renewing my driver's license.

Ribbons & Bracelets

Time for some political incorrectness - I would like to declare a moratorium -- the time has come to stop the production and use of car ribbon magnets and Lance Armstrong LiveStrong bracelets.  It is impossible to go anywhere in public without running into these two things.  What may have started as a "warm and fuzzy" feeling for folks has most definitely turned into peer pressure.  What else can explain the fact rampant success of these items?

We all support our troops...period.  No matter what one's feelings are for the war I doubt that anyone is wishing ill will to them -- despite what a certain slim majority of the voting public will have you believe.  While the magnet may make you are doing something good, ultimately I think it is a keeping up with the Joneses move.  I think one big reason this tacky tribute has caught on is that the magneets are removable.  Would Lexus and Mercedes and Escalade owners be honoring our troops with a traditional (and nearly impossible to remove) bumper sticker?

The popularity of this "patriotism" has created a monster.  You can now get ribbon magnets that honor/support such things as: autism, AIDS, breast cancer, child abuse, cancer awareness, firefighters, law enforcement, cancer survivors, POWs...and no surprise the latest addition...tsunami support.  I even heard that there is a ribbon coming out for support in ending the NHL players' strike.  Now these are all good causes (well, the hockey one is taking it too far!), I am not saying otherwise... but is it really necessary to wear them on your sleeve...errr... car trunk?

The only good things about car magnets is that there is far less room for those "My child was student of the month at Mayberry Middle School" stickers.

Likewise, one can not go anywhere, particularly to a health club/gym, without seeing the yellow Lance Armstrong/LiveStrong bracelets.  Now at least this is going to a "cause" and I certainly have nothing against Mr. Armstrong and his inspiring recovery from cancer.  But again, I fear that the bracelets have just turned into a cool fashion accessory.   

I would like to think folks are backing up these under $5 calling cards with some further action... donating money/time to a charity or sending a troop a letter or care package.

TAR7 Amber Alert

I teased about this earlier in the week, but since it was mentioned on the Entertainment Weekly website yesterday, I figure the cat is out of the proverbial bag.

Reality super-couple Amber Brkich and Rob Mariano will be one of the teams on The Amazing Race 7.   The duo's participation in the race was confirmed in this article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

This will be their 3rd foray into reality television.  Amber was in Survivor: Outback, Boston Rob in Survivor: Marquesas... while the two fell in love on their way to being the last two contestants in Survivor: All Stars (won by Brkich).

TAR producer Bertram van Munster calls Rob/Amber combo "a very strong team, very competitive. They work well together."   No other TAR7 team details have been officially released.

If you can't get enough of Rob & Amber, no need to worry... the couple appears to be looking to further extend their 15 minutes (if they haven't done so already!) - Survivor producer Mark Burnett is said to be "working on" a televised Rob/Amber wedding -- either as a May sweeps special or a short-run series in the summer.

Back on Track?

Ok, onto the what I originally planned on blogging about today before I got sidetracked about the inauguration.  Back on December 31st, I wrote a pretty whiny post about my mental and physical activity.  I am prone to getting into a funk at times -- the lack of physical movement and social activity from working at home gets me pretty lazy at times. In that post, my not (okay, maybe) New Year's resolutions were to get back to reading and working out.  So, I am happy to report that I have done both -- well, I wouldn't be posting about it now if I hadn't would I?

Reading-wise, I chose a quick and easy novel.  As you see in the right-hand column, it is Tom Robbins'  Villa Incognito. If you like fun, quirky, and unusual Robbins is the way to go -- with an opening sentence of "It has been reported that Tanuki fell from the sky using his scrotum a parachute" -- you know that this is not your typical dime-store novel, but something that is not going to put you to sleep either.  Tanuki, btw is a beaver-like creature from Japanese folklore (or so Robbins says, you can never know for sure what is fact in his novels) that can transform itself into human form.  But so far, so good.  It has been nice to get back to reading to stimulate the mind.

Yesterday, in hopes of stimulating the body, I returned to the gym after an extended (multi-month!) absence.  I was fairly happy with the results from the first 1.5 years of gym-going and thankfully during this latest attendance drop-off my body didn't totally lose all the progress it made during that time. 

My plan is to be in real fighting shape for our big tropical vacation late-spring/early summer.  Now I am not doing it to impress some French Polynesian cabana boy, but I'm thinking that a time-oriented goal is maybe just what I need to get me to the next level.

Now, I am not all wacko.  I read a lot of stuff on the gayer blogs around the New Year about gay men's obsession with getting killer bods and dealing with their poor self image.  While I admit to the occassional bout of poor self image, my goal is not to go out there and be some fitness magazine model or ripped like the 20-something boys at the gym.  But there is nothing wrong with improving and achieving some potential -- and heck if I was that obsessive I wouldn't have been away from the gym that long.

I am changing my workout strategy a bit.  In the past, I have done a minimum of one day on, one day off.  But this time if I have the time, availability, and will power I am going to go to the gym on consecutive days.  There are going to be days "off" -- so I don't think I will have too many ill-effects if I go 2-3 days in a row -- and it is not like I work out for 2-3 hours and my muscles really need the one-day recovery time.  But I am hoping the increased frequency, will get me to where I want to be.

I am a bit sore today from my initial visit back.. the arms feel a little tight, the pecs are a bit tweaked... normally I would "recover" today, but I plan on getting back to the gym this afternoon.  I admit to not being totally psyched being back there, but I did have some sense of accomplishment and satisfaction... and that felt good in some respect.